Moran says he can win NRSC job

By Alexander Burns

11/07/12 08:39 PM EST

Manu Raju, who reported this morning that Rob Portman was considering a run forNational Republican Senatorial Committee chairman, writes tonight that Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran believes he has enough votes to win the job:

“I feel comfortable that I have broad and sufficient support to be elected,” Moran told POLITICO. ...

Moran said the GOP needs to “regroup and reconsider” how to handle the primaries, calling it a “huge issue” for his party.

“I think it’s one of the most important jobs that the NRSC will face in the next election cycle – and I think this is something that all of us, my Republican colleagues and I need to sit down and determine what the best course of action is,” Moran said. “I don’t think that we should allow the Democrats in the Senate and their allied organizations to pick the winners of our primaries. … We need to certainly address that issue.”

Moran added: “Every election cycle is new and different, and we can make sure we reach the right conclusion when it comes to 2014.”

Moran himself came to the Senate in 2010 after defeating a more conservative challenger, Rep. Todd Tiahrt, who also faced questions about ethics during the campaign.